After you have received prequalification for financing, you and your construction Superintendent will schedule a site visit to evaluate your land. When building a new home, a site evaluation produces two important pieces of information. First, Adair Homes will provide you with options of where on your land it is possible to build a home. Second, the conditions of the land will inform the estimated costs for site development.
With this information, you can decide where on the site you want your home to be located and choose a floor plan that fits within your remaining budget.
Where to Build the House
For smaller lots, you will have limited options for the placement of your home, and you may also have to limit your floor plan options to certain footprints. For example, our narrow lot floor plans are specifically designed to get all of the features you want in a smaller footprint.
Some of the factors that might influence the placement of your house on the site include:
- Local setback regulations
- Soil conditions
- Orientation with respect to the sun
- Location of large trees and other obstructions
- Views from the street or sidewalk
- Views of the exterior from the home
- Privacy considerations
If there is more than one viable option, you will decide where your home will be based on feedback from your Superintendent. An Adair Homes site visit includes a free plot plan drawing that shows where your home will be situated on the land. You’ll need this plot plan for some of the next steps in the site development process.
Site Development Costs
After the site visit, your construction Superintendent will provide you with a list of the necessary site development tasks along with a list of preferred contractors. Although you are free to choose any qualified provider, selecting an Adair-recommended contractor will save you time on research. You can also be confident that they meet all of the qualification and insurance requirements. Contractors on the preferred list have typically also worked with Adair Homes before, so they understand and are familiar with our process.
Site development might include tasks such as:
- Tree removal
- Installing a septic system
- Putting in a temporary driveway for construction vehicles
- Excavation
- Well digging
- Site cleanup
You have the opportunity to build equity during this stage of the building process by doing the work yourself and/or coordinating contractors. The more you invest in site development, the more equity you will build.
Because every site is different, the requirements and associated costs will vary from project to project. We can help you estimate costs, but we recommend getting at least a couple of quotes from contractors so you will have a clear idea of the site development budget before you begin.
After the site visit, it’s a good idea to visit your local building jurisdiction to discuss the important characteristics of your site. We will provide you with a checklist of items to address. From this, you will gain a better understanding of which permits will be required to do the necessary work on your site.
Your Investment Builds Equity
Building a new house is a complicated process, and it can be intimidating for even the most experienced people. The Adair Homes process is unique in that it gives you the opportunity to participate in the process in order to build equity. By doing the work to coordinate site development and performing as many tasks as you can on your own, you are increasing your stake in the property. The more time and resources you can invest at this stage, the more equity you will have.
It’s natural to have questions about the homebuilding process and Adair’s unique approach. Our Home Ownership Counselors are here to help, so contact us today to learn more.
